Mariners – Athletics Game Preview

The Mariners are back at home to lick their wounds after an outrageously bad road trip that dinged—but didn’t entirely sink—them in the standings. They’ll need to turn things around, though, to keep pace with a Wild Card race that’s heating up (enter the Royals and Guardians, both snapping at the Mariners’ heels) and a Houston team that’s suddenly rediscovered how to play baseball against the Orioles.

Lineups:

If you read the series preview (which you always should) you’ll know that Luis Morales is the A’s top pitching prospect who enjoyed a meteoric rise from being signed out of Cuba in 2023 to making his big-league debut in 2025. That quick ascension has come with some bumps and bruises, though; Morales has huge stuff but hasn’t been able to harness it quite yet over three starts at the big-league level. The cellar-dwelling A’s are happy to let him keep working it out in MLB rather than the minor leagues and he cleared five innings of one-run ball in his last outing, his longest start yet. He’ll strike out a lot of hitters but also walk plenty, so it’s important the Mariners hitters try to exercise some patience when he wanders out of the zone. Meanwhile, the A’s will hope their lineup of sluggers and thumpers get him early some run support, as they have in two of his three starts. They’ll get an extra boost, as well, with Jacob Wilson returning to the lineup.

It’ll be Bryan Woo’s job to try to slow down this big-swingin’ A’s lineup and get the Mariners back in the win column.

Only one deviation from what’s becoming the Mariners’ standard lineup: Luke Raley takes the place of Dominic Canzone, still suffering pain from getting hit in the wrist in Monday’s loss at Philadelphia.

News:

Canzone remains out, but the outlook on him is good, as x-rays came back negative. Read about that and other injury updates in today’s Mariners injury report.

On the other side, the A’s made a passel of roster moves prior to tonight’s game, most importantly reinstating star shorstop Jacob Wilson. You couldn’t have waited like three more days?

Also, yes, that’s Joey Estes as in the Joey Estes who hit Victor Robles with two pitches on his rehab assignment, triggering Robles’s meltdown. Surely he will receive a warm welcome at the ballpark.

Game information:

Game time: 7:10 PM. It’s a drone show night. Expect tweets from your beat writers to be extra-grumpy. No one hates a fireworks night like the people who work at the ballpark.

TV: ROOT SPORTS with Aaron Goldsmith and Angie Mentink on the call. Shakeup alert: Ryan Rowland-Smith will serve as field reporter tonight instead of Brad Adam or Jen Mueller.

Radio: Seattle Sports 710 AM, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. on the call.

This day in Mariners history:

• 1978: Proving every dog has his day, the 48-77 Mariners defeat the 78-46 Red Sox, 5-2. Glenn Abbott pitches a complete game in the win.
• 1987: Every Mariner hitter records at least one hit in a 14-6 drubbing of the Orioles. Right fielder Mike Kingery finishes a triple shy of the cycle.
• 1998: Edgar Martínez walks off the White Sox in the 11th inning with a game-winning single through the 5/6 hole after Chicago’s Jaime Navarro intentionally walked Ken Griffey Jr. to load the bases.
• 2001: The Mariners drub the Tigers, 16-1, scoring thirteen runs in the first three innings of the game. 3B David Bell had five hits and came a triple shy of the cycle.
• 2011: Franklin Gutierrez hits a ninth-inning sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run and Brandon League navigates around runners at second and third to secure his 31st save as the Mariners defeat Cleveland on the road, 3-2.
• 2020: The Mariners trounce the Rangers 10-1 in just the 19th game of the COVID-shortened season. Evan White has a 6 RBI game with a double and a home run.
• 2023: Josh Rojas homers as the Mariners beat the White Sox 6-3 for a season-high eighth straight win.